Work Text:
Many would say that Gaara has come a very long way socially. From public speaking and diplomatic negotiations to forging personal bonds amongst family and friends. Even his ability to interact casually with the citizens of his village. Becoming more approachable and recognizing social cues more accurately and especially his emotional intelligence, suffice to say, one would think he doesn’t struggle much at all anymore.
Gaara, however, is intimately aware that he has a very long way to go. For example; this cursed Konoha tradition that he's partaking in for the very first time at age twenty, is truly testing him.
Gaara had thought the stories and traditions around the winter holidays in Konoha had been delightfully whimsical, if a bit odd at times, but those are qualities he's come to associate with the leaf in general. And so being in the village for the festivities had gotten him invited to partake in a deceptively maddening game.
Secret Santa.
It had been described to him as fun and the enthusiastic smile on Naruto's face as he offered a hat full of tiny papers to choose from seemed promising enough that partaking in the activity would be simple.
The issue is, Gaara had never gotten someone a gift before. Not outside of polite offerings born of obligation. He had never been challenged to find something to give that's so personal. Meaningful. If he understands correctly, gifts like this are meant to show that you know the recipient well and that you've given them something that reflects the strength of your bond. It is all rather.. Intimidating in Gaara’s opinion. Getting the correct gift. He wishes he had some sort of instruction manual. He’s sure Sai might have something similar on hand. Alas, Gaara feels like a fish out of water trying to sort out what he should get.
And to make it worse, the name he'd drawn was his most complicated and intimidating relationship of all; Rock Lee.
Gaara has been running himself absolutely ragged trying to find an appropriate gift. Something that reflects how important Lee is to Gaara, and most importantly, something that Lee might actually want.
Lee is the type of person to happily accept anything given to him, crying tears of joy over having received anything at all. Which rubs Gaara the wrong way. He doesn’t want to get Lee any old gift. Alternatively, Lee would never buy himself something that he truly desires. Necessities? Sure! But Gaara is very familiar with how much Lee thinks himself undeserving of items of convenience or luxury. And in turn Gaara worries about getting something too extravagant, doesn't want to risk making Lee uncomfortable, or coming on too strong. And isn't that novel, the idea of Gaara being too much for Lee. Gaara worries about that as well, about giving away too much and having his gift reveal the feelings that Gaara has been carefully hiding from his friend.
He releases a terrible sigh as he collapses against the door of his hotel room. His kage hat is jostled onto the floor, a frustrated headache forming in the wake of parsing through Konoha's overstimulating holiday shopping district. Returning empty handed for the third day in a row. The exchange is tomorrow evening . And Gaara still hasn’t chosen a single thing.
He's cracking under the pressure.
This gift giving thing is supposed to be easy.
“Hey, loser.”
Ah. His headache has worsened.
“Hello, Kankuro.” He's got some sort of sticks stuffed in his mouth and he crunches them messily, spilling crumbs all over the floor. “We're going to get ants if you keep eating like that.”
Kankuro waves a hand dismissively, “If we do I'll get Shino to take care of it. Why are you being all mopey?”
Gaara trudges over and snatches some of the treats offered to him, upon closer inspection, they're thin hard candies with swirls of red on them. Peppermint he realises, “I don't think you're supposed to chew these…”
“Stop avoiding the question. What's got your robes in a bunch? You've basically got the whole week off while we're here. You should be giggling and kicking your feet with Bowl Cut-” and it must show on Gaara's face somehow, because Kankuro perks up and the look he gives Gaara reeks of meddlesome teasing.
“So it's about Lee then ~” Gaara moves to leave but his brother cuts in front of him. “Come on, kid, spill. It's a lot easier if you just comply.”
There's a brief staring contest. Gaara sometimes wishes his glare still sent his siblings running in these situations.
Gaara relents, “I'm struggling to find a gift for Lee.”
Kankuro guffaws, “ That's it? ”
Gaara only glares harder.
“Sorry, sorry, it's just, he seems like the easiest guy to buy for. Get him some socks or a mug or something. They can even be green.”
And Gaara should have known that he's the one over complicating things. He had considered those options, and scarves and cocoa and even new wraps or balm and Lee would probably be perfectly happy with that but, “That's not good enough.”
Kankuro laughs and chokes on a shard of peppermint. Gaara won't say anything about karma but he thinks it.
Between coughs, “Dude, it isn't that deep. It's just a secret Santa thing, as far as I can tell it's a casual gift exchange- but I get it. I hadn't realized you managed to get Lee.” Kankuro moves to get water, Gaara makes himself comfortable sitting on the counter now that they're apparently unpacking this. He supposes Kankuro is usually the one he turns to for these things anyways, but for some reason he feels silly for struggling with this. Embarrassed that he can't even pick out a gift for his friend on his own.
“So, what, you want to give him something special?” Kankuro wiggles his eyebrows. Gaara isn't sure what he's implying here. He shrugs.
“Come on, help me out here. I'm not a mind reader, y'know.”
“I want to give him something.. good . ” Gaara finally admits. He’s not really sure what he himself means by that.
Kankuro raises his eyebrows, “Have you tried asking him?”
Gaara huffs, “That defeats the purpose of the whole thing. It's supposed to be a surprise.”
“Hmmm, have you tried asking his friends? Tenten will probably know. And she's a good gift giver, you should see what she's getting Temari-”
Hmm he supposes he could ask around, but he isn’t sure if Tenten would be able to keep it a secret. Or if she would even have anything else to offer.
“It’s this sick fan from some fancy daimyo, not quite the one she ganked from those cloud guys but a close second. Maybe she’s got advice on what sort of tools Lee is needing?”
Gaara stops listening and stands abruptly. The mention of the weapons master and consequently, ninja tools as a gift option, gives Gaara a eureka moment. He's shucking off his Kage robes and messily collecting the things he'll need, “I'm going on a short trip. I'm hoping to cash in a favor.”
It's the only explanation he offers to Kankuro, “What, did I say something? Do you need help?”
“No I'll be back in a day, distract the ANBU for me will you?” And he's out the door, gourd on hand, ignoring Kankuro's shouts of protest.
It's a bit of a secret mission, and Gaara is cutting it very close being away for so long unaccounted for, but the Land of Rain is close, barely a days trip away and he's able to use sand transportation up until the humidity begins to rise. He spends much more than the gift budget allows but he's giving himself a pass given it's still not an unreasonable price for him personally. Especially since this particular item would not be for sale at all if he were anyone else.
Gaara is so pleased with himself on the way back that some randoms almost get the jump on him. He should've been more on guard but he hadn't considered that anyone would sense the value of his hidden item. Luckily his ANBU interfere right as he's within eyeline of the village gates.
“Please, Kazekage-sama,” an exasperated personal guard pleads, “if you intend to go on unsanctioned walkabouts, at least allow one of us to accompany you.”
Gaara dismisses the whole thing, “I had a personal matter to attend, nothing to bother you about.”
He earns a withering look from the ANBU apprehending the bandit and he only feels a little bit sorry about it. He was hoping to get away with it unnoticed but his constituents have long since gotten used to Gaara's quirks as a kage.
And anyways, Gaara has somewhere to be. He's got to get cleaned up and find Temari to help him wrap Lee's gift.
By the time he's on his way to Naruto's residence that evening, he's nervous again. Second guessing his choice and worried about how obvious his extra effort might come across. It has him fearing the gift exchange ahead of him and he almost thinks to stop and get a mug on the way.
He's queasy with nerves as he greets Naruto, “Come on in! You can give gifts whenever, everyone else has just been handing them out when they get here.” and he has to resist fleeing the whole get together when Lee turns his thousand watt smile Gaara's way. They run into each other in the cramped kitchen area. The only unpopulated space in the studio apartment. Lee is drinking a white, frothy drink from a mug and it leaves residue on his upper lip. Gaara itches to wipe at it.
“Merry Christmas, Gaara!” Lee exclaims.
“Merry Christmas.” Is his heartbeat supposed to be so obvious in his own ears? Temari said giving is supposed to feel good. He feels as if he’s having a panic attack.
“How has your time been in Konoha for the holidays?” Lee asks, “I feel I have not seen you in days!” He hasn’t.
“I have been looking for the right gift.” Gaara says and presents the paper covered box half heartedly.
“Oh! Your gift is wrapped beautifully! That’s my favorite shade of green!” Lee comments enthusiastically.
I know that. Gaara thinks as a new wave of nerves crawls around in his belly.
“Temari helped.” He replies dryly. Surely he is already boring Lee.
“That is very sweet of her! My wrapping skills leave a bit to be desired…” Lee rubs the back of his neck awkwardly and Gaara finds himself smitten by it. “I hope you do not mind?”
Gaara blinks owlishly at the gift held out to him. It’s small and square and the wrapping paper is red, wrinkled at all corners. A lopsided bow clings to the paper for dear life and Gaara thinks it is wrapped beautifully simply because it’s Lee that had taken the time to package it.
“Why would I mind?” He asks dumbly, confused that it is still being pushed towards him.
Lee seems to sweat the longer he spends subjected to Gaara’s scrutiny. “Well, I am sure you are used to receiving things that are much more- er- professional looking?”
“That’s for me?” Gaara asks, and his tone must come out wrong because Lee seems to shrink in on himself.
“W-well, yes! Only if you want it of course! You are under no obligation-”
“I want it.” Gaara snatches it out of Lee’s bandaged hands before he can think to pull it out of reach. Gaara had not had time to consider receiving a gift of his own. What he’d even ask for. He had never been given a gift before. Not out of kindness at least. He realizes he doesn’t really care at all what it is, just that Lee had picked it with him in mind. He supposes he is getting the idea of this now.
He looks at Lee intensely, “So do we open them at the same time?”
Lee’s eyes make perfect circles in surprise but a renewed grin splits his face, “That is for me?!” He points at his own chest, comically shocked. Gaara thought that was obvious. He nods.
Lee takes the green package from Gaara’s hand with the sort of care one might use to defuse a bomb. It’s a relief. Not just because it was getting heavy.
“What a coincidence!” Lee’s voice is softer than before and he leans in a bit closer to Gaara, crowding his space in a way that makes him nervous but in a delightful sort of way.
“Please!” Lee startles them both, “Open yours first! I insist!”
Gaara’s eye’s fall to the small box in his hands, and it feels wrong to tear the paper off. To destroy something that Lee put so much effort into. But Lee is looking on expectantly and so Gaara rips into it with delicate precision, reveals a box with a lid and so he removes that too. Within is a tiny pot of soil, a barely sprouted bit of green poking out and a packet of seeds tucked into the side. When he reads the packet, it indicates the type of cactus that Lee had apparently already begun germinating for him. A cactus not native to Suna but from more tropical, humid environments, rare and difficult to find if you do not know someone with connections.
“Ino helped me a lot with it.” Lee explains before Gaara can even ask. “I know it is not exactly built for Suna climate but! You are so gifted with caring for many different plants! So I trust you to know how to help it thrive anywhere you wish! Its blossoms are a very pretty red once they bloom…” And Lee looks somewhere above Gaara’s eyes.
“I love it.” Gaara says simply, he mentally swears to keep the poor thing alive in his greenhouse until he dies. “Thank you.”
Lee’s whole face is red and he flaps a hand in the air, “It is nothing really I-”
“Open yours.” Gaara insists. His heart is melting into a gooey mess and he needs to know if Lee likes his gift as much as Gaara. He feels a bit less nervous about getting help, seeing as Lee needed to do the same.
Lee startles and hugs the rectangular box closer to his chest, feels at the edges, gives it a shake and presses his ear to it. It nearly drives Gaara mad again, the slowness with which Lee approaches the unwrapping.
Beneath the paper is a simple wooden case with a latch on the front and Gaara finds amusement in the confused scrunch of bushy eyebrows. Then the snk of the latch has his heart hammering in his own chest and when Lee opens the case his face goes completely blank in shock.
“Gaara.” His heart jumps into his throat. He can’t figure out what the reaction is. “Is this what I think it is?” His voice has gone soft with awe and Gaara can only grasp desperately at the tiny indication of a positive tone.
He watches silently, as Lee carefully runs a finger over the contents of the case before finally, carefully removing the heavy nunchaku from their casings. When he flips them over to reveal the insignia of the legendary shinobi who once wielded them he gasps out loud.
“How on earth did you get these?!” Lee asks, testing the weight and looking like he is doubting their authenticity.
“From the Rain Village. A historian friend owed me a favor.” Gaara does not mention his day and a half long expedition to retrieve them. He’s too busy appreciating the delighted giggle that Lee releases.
“Gaara, there’s no way these are- I mean, these are priceless I cannot accept such a gift!” Despite his own words, Lee is tossing them around experimentally, bouncing in place like he’d like to go try them out right this instant. Lee’s obvious appreciation has a relieved sort of warmth spreading through Gaara’s chest. Satisfied that it’s a good gift and he hopes he never has to do this again because topping it might be impossible.
When Lee looks up his eyes are sparkling with happy tears. “You are sure this is for me?”
Gaara can’t help but smile at Lee’s disbelief. “I am sure.”
In an instant Gaara finds himself crushed nearly to suffocation in a bone splinting hug. Lee is warm all around him and smells minty and familiar somehow and Gaara thinks this gift might be even better. All too quickly, Lee releases him, too excited to run and show off his new gift, calling out to Tenten as he sprints around the small room.
Kankuro sidles up to Gaara, pouring himself a drink with a low whistle, “I think that one's a little over budget, little bro.”
Gaara just shrugs, too busy watching Lee infecting everyone with his energy.
Kankuro nudges his shoulder, “You did good, man. Now are you going to confess already or-”
Gaara feels a headache coming on.